Javon Baker landed in hot water over Labor Day Weekend. On Sunday, the New England Patriots rookie receiver used Instagram Live to harshly criticize a Massachusetts police officer for issuing him a traffic ticket. The expletive-laden rant went viral and prompted head coach Jerod Mayo to punish Baker ahead of New England’s season opener.
What Did Javon Baker Say?
On Sunday, Baker claimed an officer issued him a ticket for “no reason” after he dropped someone off at an airport. The fourth-round rookie said the officer threatened to tow his car during a heated exchange.
“You ain’t gonna start yelling at me and thinking I’m not fitting to yell back,” Baker said in the video. “Who does you think you is? Just because you a police officer, that don’t mean nothing, bro. With my tax dollars, I pay you. Come on, bro, you work for me.”
You can watch Baker’s full rant in the X video below. Warning: It contains NSFW language.
Javon baker just got a ticket pic.twitter.com/2i7XFTjiWl
— Bryson (@OwnedByBryson) September 1, 2024
Baker hadn’t issued a public statement as of Tuesday morning.
Mayo addressed the issue when asked about it during a Monday morning news conference. The first-year head coach also revealed that Baker would be punished.
What Did Jerod Mayo Say About Baker’s Comments?
Here’s the full exchange between Mayo and a Patriots reporter:
Question: “Jerod, Javon Baker went on Instagram Live yesterday after getting a traffic ticket, some sort of angry rant. He introduced himself on Instagram Live after getting drafted. What’s the team’s official stance on these Instagram Lives?”
Mayo: “Everything that you just stated in no way represents what the organization is about, in no way represents what we are about as a team, or how Javon needs to go out there and represent himself. We’ve handled it internally. We had a great conversation.
“I think it’s a combination of immaturity and realizing the grand scheme, that we’re on a big stage here, and you can’t do those things. As far as our relationship with law enforcement, I think it’s outstanding. We’ll continue to strengthen that relationship going forward.”
Question: “Can you talk about handling it internally, just to clarify? Has that resulted in any missing practice, game, any kind of penalty?”
Mayo: “Not for this. There is a penalty, but not to the level of missing the game. We didn’t see it that way.”
#Patriots HC Jerod Mayo on Javon Baker’s IG live:
“[It] in no way represents what the organization is about, in no way represents what we are about as a team, or how Javon needs to go out there and represent himself….There is a penalty, but not to the level of missing a game.” pic.twitter.com/hhk5F7lU28
— New England Sports Fellow (@NESportsFellow) September 2, 2024
PFN Analysis: Is Baker Becoming a Problem for Patriots?
This isn’t the first time Baker has generated headlines with his words.
After being drafted by the Patriots, Baker said, “I make people in wheelchairs stand up,” when asked to describe what kind of player he is. Days later, a video captured Baker boldly calling out teams who passed on him during the draft.
“No way in f—ing America 10 receivers better than me; you’re out of your f—ing mind,” said Baker, who was drafted two rounds after fellow Patriots rookie receiver Ja’Lynn Polk.
Neither of those instances rises to the potential severity of Baker’s anti-police rant. And you could argue he didn’t do anything wrong in either case, other than engaging in generally off-color commentary.
Nevertheless, Baker’s off-field behavior has become increasingly headache-inducing for the Patriots, who need him to be an immediate contributor this season. Never mind that Baker, who excelled early in training camp, struggled late in the summer, most notably with drops and route-running issues.
Baker entered the 2024 NFL Draft with character concerns and hasn’t done much to prove them wrong. It’s way too early to label him an on-field bust or off-field liability for New England, but he’s not off to a great start.